Happy New Year!! It’s always so therapeutic for me to look back on all of the work from the past twelve months and pick some of my favorite photos from each session for a giant recap post. I traveled out of state (or country!) nearly every month last year, and there were so many heartwarming moments and beautiful sights to capture. 2019 was unofficially dubbed the Year of Engagement Sessions – I shot more engagement portraits than ever before, probably because 2020 is shaping up to be the busiest wedding year yet! I hope you enjoy this small window into 2019. The first few images are from four sessions that made me incredibly happy, followed by a full post in chronological order! A huge thank you to my awesome clients – you gave me the opportunity to capture your priceless memories, and you’ve given me such a fun, fulfilling, and exciting job. I’m forever grateful!

Hello January! Ann and Deian eloped in San Diego and I couldn’t get enough of their unique style. We explored Balboa Park and the Sunset Cliffs Natural park together – what a lovely afternoon this was!



On perhaps the darkest and rainiest day in January I teamed up with Harmony Creative and Shindig Chic for this modern pastel wedding inspiration shoot at HNYPT in DTLA! It was featured here on Green Wedding Shoes and you can also check out my full blog entry here!

Angelena (of aforementioned Shindig Chic) and I traveled to her homeland of Scottsdale, Arizona for a weekend in February! We teamed up with Salt Fringe Events for this Rue De Seine boho desert inspiration – check out the full blog post here!

The next day we drove out to Sedona for a wedding portrait session with Deirdre and Paul! Dee has since become one of my favorite people on the planet. These two now live in Amsterdam and Angelena and I cannot wait to go visit them! You can see their full Sedona session in this blog entry too.

February skies were quite overcast by Los Angeles standards, and the cloud coverage ended up being perfect for Ellie and Adam’s Topanga Overlook engagement session!

Wendy and Ryan also had a perfectly overcast day for their engagement session! We shot at Sands Hotel & Spa (complete with cocktails!) and in the San Jacinto mountains. The Sands is definitely one of my favorite venues in So-Cal!

Jen and Joe ventured to a blooming almond orchard for their session after being inspired by this wedding inspiration shoot from a few years back! These two are simply the sweetest.

Christine and Alan fell in love with the concept behind Sam and Kyle’s elopement and decided to put their own spin on Palm Springs classic car shoot for their engagement session!

Jess of Shop House of Mouse and her husband, Brent, perfectly vibed with this retro room in DTLA! What a fun and unique anniversary session!

Ever since Mike and I had our engagement photos taken during the poppy super bloom of 2017 I’ve been eager to photograph something there t00! Typically this natural phenomenon only comes along once every ten years, but another massive bloom graced us with its presence in March! Cyn, Wes and I explored Walker Canyon before Lake Elsinore got bogged down with tourists and crowds shortly thereafter. What a magical sight this was!! Full post HERE!

Amy and Eli got married on March 23, 2019 at Palms Event Center up by Livermore, CA! I took a little road trip up to the San Jose area for their beautiful, sunny day at the winery. These two have such a kind and special connection!

The end of March brought beautiful green rolling hills to Malibu! Margie and Jason got to enjoy the stunning lush scenery for their engagement session.

Ellie and Adam planned their wedding in THREE MONTHS! Their big day took place at Rolling Greens’ brand new space in the Arts District – it’s going to be featured on Green Wedding Shoes this very week, YAY!
  
Natasha and Jeff picked my favorite Malibu location for their engagement session! I was blown away by how much the landscape had changed in just a few short weeks since Margie and Jason’s shoot. Natasha and Jeff opted for a glam black tie look!

One week later it was back to Malibu for Gaby and Lewis’ engagement session! How perfect is Gaby’s dress with that yellow blooming mustard seed?! I can’t wait for their wedding in June 2020!

Aly and Gavin tied the knot on April 27, 2019. These two are SO MUCH FUN and are simply a delight to be around. Their ceremony was so personal, and this day at Darlington House in La Jolla was such a joy! Full post HERE (it’s a big one)!

Christine and Alan got married on May 2, 2019! The Sands Hotel & Spa + this incredible couple = pure eye candy. Christine got ready in the spa area and she looked like she was straight out of a vintage magazine!

Their day was featured here on Green Wedding Shoes! I did a full blog post with even more pics HERE too!

Two days later – Natalia and Anthony got married in Santa Barbara! I loved the train on Natalia’s dress and the classic California backdrop of the city.

While driving up to the wedding I mentioned to my second photographer, Marianne, that I was hoping to find some blooming bougainvillea. DONE!

Emily and Luke got married in New York City on May 18th! They had an intimate daytime wedding (in a cemetery, no less!) and we explored mid-city Manhattan at sunset. I love that they had such a unique day and included their pups!
 
The next morning I woke up before dawn to meet Rachel of The Crafted Life and her fiance, Ryan, in Washington Square Park for their engagement session. Fun fact – this is the first time I’ve ever done a session without any caffeine…! We explored the East Village, including this mural from The Color Factory!

This fun session was featured on – you guessed it – Green Wedding Shoes! My post is available here!

Adam and KC’s wedding was on a foggy day in June! Although their Malibu location had some atypical weather, they brought major sunshine with their colorful style and immense joy!

These two also got featured on GWS, and I did a full post here!

Ani and Mike picked the Pasadena City Hall (aka Pawnee City Hall from Parks & Rec!) for their engagement session. This location has such a classic European feel to it! These two will be tying the knot in March!

Angie and Chris went with The Ruby Street in Highland Park for their big day on June 15, 2019 – it’s always an awesome venue! I’m pretty sure these two are my music soulmates – their wedding was the first time I’ve ever heard Band of Horses playing at a reception!

Mimi and Peter explored DTLA’s Art District for their engagement session in June! We managed to access this mural just as an employee was departing the locked gate (I may have begged a little). It was meant to be!


Shelley and Andy picked their actual wedding venue – Quail Ranch in Simi Valley – for their engagement session location! It was so nice getting to explore the place where they’ll be getting married this May!

Towards the beginning of July I drove over the Mexican border to Las Gaviotas in Baja, California with my second photographer, Kayla, for Emily and Dave’s wedding. This was a true adventure…!


Haley and Brian live in San Diego and went with Torrey Pines State Beach for their engagement session. You’d never know if from their photos, but this place was hoppin‘! I adore these two and can’t wait for their wedding at The Living Desert this February!

Rachel and Chris’ engagement session in Topanga Canyon included a fun champagne pop! We arrived at our location only to discover it had been temporarily shut down due to high fire danger. Luckily this spot was right around the corner!

They’re getting married at one of my all-time favorite venues, Adamson House, this August! Yay!

In August I took my first trip to Seattle for Tina and Madison’s wedding! I loved everything about their day, including how we stopped in Pioneer Square for some wedding party photos!

Sodo Park recently spruced up this teal wall with a fresh coat of paint, yassss. I wish Tina and Madison lived in LA because they’re such fun to be around!

September 1 – Jen and Joe got married at Calamigos Equestrian! These are two of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. What a happy day!
Ramya and Garrett’s Fig House wedding on September 15, 2019 was SO. MUCH. FUN!! These two are delightful, joyful, and have such a unique awesome style.
 
Towards the end of September I flew out to North Carolina for Susannah and Chris’ wedding at The Laboratory Mill in Lincolnton! Susannah and her mom, Andy, created this colorful backdrop themselves!

My dear friend Amy Gray asked me to assist her at Ellen and Ted’s wedding and we had the best time! Amy moved to Pennsylvania last year and it was so wonderful to work together again on this gorgeous day.

The Beverly Hills Four Seasons does a massive confetti canon (or several) at the end of a ceremony. Amazing!!


Amy and Mike had a colorful wedding at Palm Springs’ most vibrant venue – the Saguaro Hotel! They took a fun spin on a classic 1950s wedding style!

The next day I met up with Siana and Jarrett for their Palm Springs engagement session. PS has the best light and there are vintage cars sprinkled throughout the neighborhoods!

I can’t wait for their wedding at the Bel Air Bay Club in May!

I drove back up to Northern California for Christine and Dom’s wedding in Sacramento! I found this mural while hunting through Instagram and couldn’t believe how perfect it was for their color palette! Cutest first look ever?!

Ah, November – and NEW ZEALAND!! Caroline and Sean brought me out to Queenstown, NZ for the most stunning day at Millbrook Resort. I absolutely adore these two and will never forget this incredible experience. There are no words to describe the scenery in New Zealand – you can bet I’m already planning a return trip! Here are a few sneak peeks from their classic day!

Caroline is half Scottish, so many of her relatives rocked a kilt, including her brother! Such fun! I love this candid shot of her side of the wedding party.

My last session of 2020 was Nicole and Will’s Arts District engagement session! DTLA provides a bounty of backdrops, and every session is different even when the location is the same. I can’t wait for their Fig House wedding next September!
 
YAY, there you have it! In an effort to avoid any burnout, I really tried to pace myself with booking work throughout 2019, and I feel like that was a great success. I got back into photographing food (and even started a new instagram account for this passion!), had some fun commercial projects, and had a lot of quality time with Mike and my close friends too. 2020 is already off to an epic start and I am SO EXCITED! I’ll be staying much closer to home on the west coast in Los Angeles and will definitely be sharing regularly on this brand new blog (shout out to Tonic for this gorgeous new site). Thank you again for your support!!